日本語

Stop the destruction of Hibiya Park’s history and nearly 1000 trees, Japan’s first Western-style park !

Founded in 1903, Hibiya Park is a proud icon of Japan's modernization and westernization.(wikipedia)  It is featured in history textbooks along with the Rokumeikan and Imperial Hotel.
Since the Meiji period, Hibiya park has helped people in Japan become familiar with Western music and cuisine.
It is also known as the 400-year-old "Kubikake Ginkgo" tree (wikipedia), which the designer, Mr. Seiroku Honda, saved by sticking out his own neck.

This is a valuable forest space with abundant trees in the city center. Birds thrive in this inner city forest.
People who work in the surrounding government offices, business districts, and commercial districts, as well as shoppers and tourists, come here to breathe in the fresh air and take a rest.
On weekends, families with children form a community, and tennis enthusiasts play on the court of their dreams.

Hibiya Park, which holds memories for everyone, is about to be demolished under the name of "revitalization" (By the Tokyo Metropolitan Construction Bureau). Most of the facilities that have existed since the park was founded will be demolished and replaced with a huge plaza. Hibiya park will be reduced to a historical heritage that only remains in history books!

Nearly 1,000 trees, many of which are large, are in danger of being felled for the plan.

This park is public and is currently managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Construction. It's a public park.
Nevertheless, it is the Tokyo Metropolitan Government that is proceeding with the plan without informing the general public. Nowhere in the park is there any explanation of the plans.

The main construction of the park is about to start this fall. In fact, the destruction has already begun. About 20 large trees in the "Nirenoki Plaza" in front of the Hibiya Public Hall have already been cut down. That ground has been covered with ugly asphalt.

For more information, please see our website(Japanese).

I would like to ask all people in Japan and overseas who have memories of Hibiya Park to let as many people as possible know about this crisis and help gather their support.

Governor Koike, the Bureau of Construction, the Department of Parks and Green Spaces, and the Tobu Parks Office of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government have followed the natural procedure of listening not only to developers and experts on development, but also to the needs of the general public and users.
We should never allow the destruction of our mature and beautiful park, which is lined with large trees and so much Japanese history.

(caller) A group that loves the history and culture of Hibiya Park